Children of the Other Place
by Perenutet
Summary: When Kitty summons Bartimaeus, what she doesn't expect is the offer to become a djinn, a spirit whose home is in the Other Place. But, will Kitty accept this strange offer? And if she does, then what would she have to give up? (My first fan fiction- review...or else MWAH HA HA HA!).
1. Chapter 1

**The Bartimaeus Trilogy- Ptolemy's Gate Epilogue **

Chapter 1

Holding her breath, Kitty slowly squeezed through the narrow gap in the doors of the summoning chamber. The ivory moon hung still like a pale lantern in the midnight sky, spilling its silver light all over the chamber and bathing the marble pillars in a shower of white. As she shuffled across the dim room and stepped into a summoning pentacle, the memorized incantation repeated itself in her head, but suddenly she felt a surge of doubt; what if it didn't work? What if she was wrong, after all? What would she do then? But… No, Kitty thought. No matter what, she would still try. Kitty felt as though she was about to journey to the Other Place again, but at least this time, the djinni was coming to her. It was time to get started. Bending down, Kitty arranged the different herbs needed around the pentacle, then took a deep breath and recited the incantation. When she was finished, she stepped back and waited. Kitty knew that it would take a few moments for the summons to reach Other Place, the home of the demons, but she couldn't help fidgeting nervously. After a few minutes, Kitty sensed that something was wrong. She looked around… it seemed so dark…Wait- the candles! Of course! Kitty couldn't help but smile. _How could I forget?_ She thought. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a few white, wax candles, lit them with a lighter, and arranged them around the pentacle. There. _Now _she was ready to begin. After reciting the incantation once more, Kitty waited the long, agonizing wait, her palms damp with sweat, until, finally- a bright flash of light, and there he was, just as she remembered.

Chapter 2

And I would have thought they reckoned I was dead. Well, apparently not. When I felt the just _wonderful _sensation of being stabbed in a thousand places by countless sliver spears, I was so shocked that I resisted the summons, until the pain grew more intense- and I gave in to the cursed magician who wouldn't give me a break.

What I didn't expect, though, was _her- _but there she was, standing in front of me in the opposite pentacle, grinning at me. I was wearing our old 'friend', Nathaniel's guise, which made Kitty's smile fade almost immediately, to be replaced by a sad expression. As for me, instead of bellowing my usual, " I am Sakhr al-Jinni, No'groso the mighty, the Serpent of the silver plumes", etc., etc. ( I could go on forever about all my wonderful and mighty accomplishments, but I've decided to save you some time) I simply said, "Hi.. .Kitty"

Chapter 3

The moment she saw his face, Kitty froze- her features, for a moment, so still it seemed as though they were set in stone. Then she relaxed, and in a quiet voice, she hesitantly responded, "Bartimaeus…you're alive…" For the first time since Nathaniel's death, tears for him lingered in Kitty's eyes, threatening to spill down her face, but she blinked them back- Kitty wanted to act strong in Bartimaeus' presence, even if she felt like crying. Bartimaeus smiled "And why should I not be? Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?" With that, the djinn stepped from his pentacle and into her own. Kitty gasped and took an involuntary step backwards, but Bartimaeus only laughed. "Do you think that I would kill you now, when I had so many chances before?" he said. Kitty managed a weak smile and looked up at him. "Come with me, Bartimaeus".

Chapter 4

A soft, warm, breeze swirled through the branches of the silent trees standing like a row of soldiers along the sidewalk, their leaves outlined silver in the moon's light. Two figures, silhouetted against the dim, yellow, lamplight, slowly wandered down the sidewalk and disappeared around a bend. Kitty glanced at Bartimaeus behind her-if she forgot about the memories for just a moment, then she could almost believe that it was really him, really Nathaniel, and that nothing had changed- almost. As Kitty settled down on the bench, the only thing unaffected in the property by the blaze that had killed Nathaniel's first master, Bartimaeus said in barely a whisper, "This was the last place that he was truly happy, you know. I know that from the time we shared one body". Kitty nodded. "What was he like before I met him?" She asked. The djinn started telling Kitty about his adventures with Nathaniel as a twelve-year-old, and Kitty explained how she thought that Nathaniel might do the same as Ptolemy did-dismissing Bartimaeus at the last minute to save him. While they were talking, however, Kitty realized that something was bothering the djinn. When she asked about it, the djinn looked around, then cast his eyes down, took a deep breath and muttered, "Kitty… I'm not sure if I should give you the choice, or if you'll think it over, but…. Will you abandon this life and become a djinn?"

Chapter 5

Kitty was speechless. She opened and closed her mouth like a fish, but no words came out. Yet, her heart told her that she had indeed heard right- she was being given the choice to become a spirit, like Bartimaeus. "It's a secret that we spirits have kept for a long time", Bartimaeus mumbled when Kitty still could not find the words to speak. "I can make you a djinn of the same level as me- our lives aren't _that_ bad, except when rotten magicians start enslaving you, that is." He smiled. "What do you choose, Kitty?" Kitty opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was, "I…uh, well..." She took a deep breath. "How can I? I never really felt like I belonged, but, I mean, this is my home, where I lived all this time. And my memories…" "Don't worry about that- you'll get to keep your memories." Bartimaeus explained. "As for your home, well, I know that you aren't that fond of the 'chaotic' Other Place, but it isn't _that_ bad once you're a djinn." The spirit cast his eyes nervously around. "Choose quickly, Kitty- it's almost dawn." Kitty closed her eyes and stood up, and the first warm, golden rays of the gently kissed her skin. Inside, she felt as if she were being torn apart- one half of her wanted to run away from all the madness, but another part hesitantly accepted and gave in to Bartimaeus' request. And although her mind screamed at her to stop, Kitty's mouth opened and, as if on their own accord, her lips formed the words, "Bartimaeus… I choose to come with you." With that, Kitty tilted her head back to catch a last glimpse of the pale blue sky streaked with pink clouds, said a silent farewell to her home for nineteen long years… Then she took Bartimaeus' hand, and together they stepped forward, rid of the bonds of the Earth… whisked away forever to another world.


	2. The First Summoning

Kitty was drifting around as a pink blob when she felt it- an unfamiliar tugging sensation. She raised her eyebrows quizzically (blobs don't have eyebrows, but yeah, you get the idea) before she realized what must be happening.

Impossible.

That's what Kitty thought, but before she knew it, she was spinning off into a violent vortex, unwillingly answering to the summons of her first master.

Kitty didn't even have time to think of what form to take on before she was there, standing in the "djinn" pentacle where she had once been facing Bartimaeus. The tables had turned, and Kitty was no longer the master-now she was the slave, who had to do her master's bidding.

**Kitty felt-no, she was- powerless.**


	3. Sebastian

**So, peeps...it's Chapter 3...Sorry for not putting much effort into this Fanfiction (I had intended to abandon it after the first chapter, in fact-simply because I myself did not like it- However, a friend encouraged me to write more.) I may abandon this for good after the next chapter (Which will probably be short)...so, er, just giving a warning...Also, please disregard all my former reviews on this story...**

Pain. That was the first thing that Kitty noticed. Her soul- no, her essence- tingled with an unfamiliar sensation. At first, Kitty waited for it to dissolve into the comfort she used to feel on Earth. Soon, however, she realized that it would always linger while she was on this planet. Kitty sighed. She, once Bartimaeus' master, had stepped into the djinn's shoes- and Kitty was not enjoying it.

Then she slid her eyes across to the other pentacle- and did a double take. Standing in the opposite pentacle was a youth, about the age of fifteen, with a slight frown plastered across his face. The astonishing thing was, however-

"Nathaniel."

The name was out of Kitty mouth before she even anticipated it- Eyes opening wide with alarm, her hand shot to her mouth. The youth simply regarded her blandly….although there seemed to be some new emotion in his emerald-green eyes- surprise, perhaps- or even…sadness? Kitty gritted her teeth. The past was no more, and she had to let go of it. Was she about to let every human remind her of him?

"Dem- djinn, I do not advise you to attempt to speak the name of my late brother." The youth said softly. Kitty gasped and stumbled back, almost to the borders of her own pentacle. Nathaniel's...brother? Regardless of Kitty's reaction, the boy simply sighed and continued.

"As of the new custom established after the Glass Palace incident, I shall give you a name to address me by- this name will be Sebastian." Sebastian's voice rose in volume. "I will now give you your task; You are to guard me against my enemies. Who they exactly are is of no importance. Oh, and, you may do well to try a more…frightening guise." As the boy's gaze swept across to her, Kitty realized that she had appeared in her human form. Oh well. Not fancy serpents or mystical creatures for her.

"I mean," The boy continued, his lips twisting up into a smirk. "If you were trying to seduce me with that guise, it really doesn't work. It is not even slightly pretty... Well, enough dawdling. Off you go, now!"


End file.
